Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez has said he maintains the club’s backing despite exiting the Champions League at the group stage for the second season running.
Xavi, who replaced Ronald Koeman a year ago, was given over €150 million to spend on transfers in the summer, with Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde and Raphinha among the players to arrive, only to see the team come up short in Europe once again.
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Defeats to Bayern Munich and Inter Milan have yielded criticism but, despite the prospect of Europa League football in the New Year, Xavi insists there are plenty of reasons for Barca to be optimistic.
“I feel the belief in what we are doing,” Xavi said in a news conference on Friday.
“There is complete confidence in the project. The expectations are high and it’s not what we hoped for, going out of the Champions League. We have to accept the criticism and work hard.
“There are no doubts results will come. I have the confidence of the president [Joan Laporta], the board and [directors of football] Mateu [Alemany] and Jordi [Cruyff]. There is nothing for it but to keep working hard.
“We are doing well. That could be seen in Munich and in performances against Athletic [Bilbao], Villarreal, Real Sociedad, Sevilla … Results cannot be a distraction. We can’t change course from the ideas we have. Results will come and, if they don’t, another coach will come in — that’s the law of life.”
Xavi, who has a win percentage of 56.6% from 53 games as he approaches the one-year anniversary of his appointment, said LaLiga takes on extra significance with the Champions League no longer on offer.
“Of course the league is now more important, but all the competitions are,” he added. “We have to try and win all four trophies: LaLiga, the Copa del Rey, the Spanish Supercopa and the Europa League. The objective is to win trophies and it does not change even though we don’t have the Champions League now.”
Barca are second in the table, three points behind leaders Real Madrid, who are the only side to beat them domestically this season. They take on Gennaro Gattuso’s Valencia at the Mestalla on Saturday.
“You may expect a defensive team from Gattuso, but it’s the opposite,” Xavi said. “Valencia are brave, they press high and they are dynamic.
“It will be a good game for the fans. We are in good form in LaLiga. The wins against Villarreal and Athletic were good. Now we have to change chip from the Champions League and focus on the league.”
Barca remain without Andreas Christensen, Memphis Depay, Sergi Roberto and Ronald Araujo, although Xavi says Christensen and Memphis could both return against Viktoria Plzen in midweek.